


Boredom

by nadia5803



Series: nadia’s king lear au [6]
Category: King Lear - Shakespeare
Genre: Sibling Bonding, Sibling Rivalry, Somewhat, not as angsty as usual woo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-21
Updated: 2020-04-21
Packaged: 2021-03-02 00:34:46
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,578
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23776183
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nadia5803/pseuds/nadia5803
Summary: just the gloucester boys having fun because i love them and their solidarity
Series: nadia’s king lear au [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1612093
Comments: 1
Kudos: 6





	Boredom

Edmund stuck his head in the doorway and glanced around before setting his foot in. Dad’s car wasn’t out front, but he just wanted to make certain before he threw his bag down, his shoulders back, and tossed himself onto the couch. School had made him feel more fatigued and achy then he had been in the morning, and he was quite ready to drift off into sleep. That was before footsteps echoed down the hall, and he shot up off the couch in a panic.

Edgar appeared in the doorway, a bowl of cereal and a spoon in his hand. “Oh, hi,” he said, mouth full as Edmund dropped back onto the couch, rolling over and slamming the pillow over his head. Edgar put the bowl up to his mouth then set it down on the counter, strolling over to his brother - sorry,  _ half-brother _ ’s - side. 

“Go away,” Edmund mumbled, muffled by the weight of the pillow over him. Edgar lifted it off his head and stared at his half-brother. Edmund stared right back, venomously, as Edgar grinned at him. “What?” Edmund muttered, hiding his face in his arms. 

As Edmund rolled onto his side, Edgar threw open the curtains, inciting an exasperated groan from Edmund as he forced himself off the couch. “Wanna do something?” Edgar asked.

“What did you have in mind?” Edmund crossed his arms, kicking his shoes together.

“Don’t know. Can’t have you cooped up inside all day,” Edgar replied.

  
“Silly. I was cooped up inside of school all day. Edgar, I wanna nap.”

“Nah, let’s do stuff. I’m bored.”   
  


“Don’t you have an athletic obligation to do or something…?” Edmund waved a dismissive hand as he turned around, plopping back onto the couch. Edgar placed his hands on the coffee table and leaned forward, smiling.

“Don’t you have a theatrical obligation to do? That’s what I thought. Please. We can do a board game or something?” Edgar outstretched his hand and Edmund gingerly took it with an elongated sigh. 

  
“So what… did you have in mind?” Edmund asked, knocking his shoes together as Edgar dragged him through the house. 

  
“I don’t know. I didn’t think I’d get this far.”

Edmund paused, pulling his hand out of Edgar’s and sticking them in his pockets, his eyes fixed on the floor. “I think I might go back to sleep.”

“No! Please. I’m so bored. I’m bored out of my mind. I want to do something interesting, not sit around and eat all of Dad’s cereal. 

“You could play a game on your phone and get the same level as entertainment as you would hanging out with me.”

“That’s being generous,” Edgar laughed and clapped a hand on Edmund’s shoulder. The former tilted his head, staring at his feet and letting out another elongated exhale.

“Oh, don’t get angry at me now, Edmund. Gosh, you’re a baby.”

“Hey,” Edmund crossed his arms and took a step backwards, leaning against the wall. “... Shut up,” he said, unable to think of a comeback. Edgar snorted and jammed his hands into his pockets.

“Can we get along, please? And, I don’t know, do some brotherly bonding?”

“We’re not brothers,” Edmund shot back, venom in his tone.

“Half-brothers,” Edgar replied, shifting his weight as Edmund turned back towards the couch. “Hey, seriously. Come on. Let’s at least try and get along, just this once. Please? For me?”

“Last time I checked, you were the one who was being rude to me. I don’t think you have a right to try and tell me what to do when-” Edmund was cut off when he felt the weight of the wall behind him collapse. He turned around and found it slightly ajar where it stood, and Edgar faced him with a grin.

“No, I am not investigating any of Dad’s secret rooms,” Edmund declared, standing firm with tight fists as Edgar sized him up in the doorway.

  
“Come on. I know you want to,” Edgar teased, booping Edmund on the nose as he peered over his shoulder. 

“Edgar, I’m serious, this is a bad ide- HEY!”

He didn’t care to hear whatever else Edmund had to say, as he threw his half-brother over his shoulder with ease. Edmund kicked and protested at first as Edgar stepped into the disguised hallway, but relaxed as Edgar set him on the ground.

  
“Are you insane?” Edmund demanded, standing on the tips of his toes in an attempt to match his half-brother’s height. 

“Yep,” Edgar responded with a smile, ruffling Edmund’s hair as he stepped forward into the hallway, reaching for his phone flashlight. Edmund, hands jammed in his pockets, trailed behind obediently as Edgar pointed the flashlight at the walls. “I wonder what he’s hiding in here.”

“Probably nothing, and you’re going to get both of us killed if he sees we were snooping around,” Edmund replied, hugging himself as he tailed Edgar. He felt the walls of the narrow hallway with an outstretched hand and caressed the unfamiliar, cold brick as Edgar pointed the light down the hall. Edmund dragged his hand across the wall, feeling the nooks and crannies of the brick and the lines of grout between it, when his hand bumped into another object. “Edgar!” 

Edgar shined the light in Edmund’s face and he winced, then pointed it towards the wall as he approached his half-brother’s side. He took a careful step back as they gazed up at the painting. 

“Who’s that?” Edmund asked, pointing at the stolid man in the portrait. Edgar shook his head and rapped his fingers against his head, before his memory was jogged.

  
“Dad’s Dad. I mean- Grandpa,” Edgar said. 

“How come you know that and I don’t?” Edmund demanded, arms crossed as he studied the man’s face. Long, stoic, a bit sour - yep, definitely a Gloucester. Edgar pointed the light back down the hallway and started to restart his sojourn, while Edmund stood back in defiance. “Hey, I asked you a question.”

“I don’t know, guess I’m more read up on family history than you. Not like you’re-” Edgar stopped himself, not wishing to incite Edmund’s ire again. Edmund rolled his eyes and followed Edgar.

“Did you know him?”

“No, he died before both of us were born.”

“How do you know that?”

“Dad told me.”

  
“Why didn’t he tell me?” Edmund asked again, hurt as he lagged behind Edgar. Edgar stopped in his tracks, causing Edmund to nearly crash into him before he caught himself.

  
“I guess you just didn’t ask,” Edgar replied, pointing the flashlight at the floor as he faced him. Edmund’s hurt was reflected in his eyes as he stared down at his shoes, and Edgar felt a pang of guilt.

“Did  _ you  _ ask?” Edmund asked.

“What?”

  
“You heard me.”   
  


“... No,” Edgar muttered, turning back around as he pointed the flashlight back down the hallway. He began his walk again, when he realized that Edmund had vanished back towards the doorway. “Edmund. Edmund, please,” Edgar whipped around, speeding down the hallway to catch his half-brother before he disappeared out the door. “Please come back. I didn’t mean to upset you.”   
  


“You always mean to upset me,” Edmund spat, rubbing his eyes as he faced Edgar. 

“Okay, this time I didn’t. I’m sorry,” Edgar replied, folding his hands across his chest. “Like, I’m really sorry this time. For everything, actually. I’m trying to get better. I want to be friends with you. I hate living in a house where we’re always at each other's throats. Dad can be an ass sometimes. And… I’m sorry.”

Edmund weighed his options and took a breath. “It isn’t your fault.”

“I’m apologizing on Dad’s behalf too, then.”

“That’s new,” Edmund rubbed the back of his neck and turned around, the light from the household touching his face. Edgar reached out a reluctant hand and then pulled Edmund close to his chest, and was almost a bit shocked when Edmund’s nervous stance relaxed into his arms. Edmund wrapped his arms around Edgar’s waist, and for a moment, they stood entangled, before Edmund pulled away. “Sorry.”

“For what?” Edgar asked, offering him a warm smile as Edmund awkwardly shifted his weight, his eyes fixed on the floor. 

“Don’t know.” 

“See, you don’t have to be sorry,” Edgar wrapped his arm around Edmund’s shoulders and snorted as he pointed the flashlight back down the hall. “Wanna keep going?” Edmund opened his mouth to respond, when the familiar sound of a car engine was heard. Both of the boys shot down the hallway, Edgar hurriedly shoving his phone into his pocket as Edmund made sure the door was firmly closed. 

“Next time?” Edmund asked as keys could be heard in the door. Edgar, making his way to the living room, grinned over at his half-brother and winked. The door flew open and Edmund headed off as Edgar waved down his Dad. 

“Evening, kiddo,” Gloucester said, dropping his suitcase down as he waved back. He stared down at the doorway and raised an eyebrow. “Could you tell your brother to pick up his things next time?” he asked as he lifted Edmund’s bookbag.

“Sorry, Dad,” Edmund appeared at the threshold of the kitchen, Edgar’s unemptied bowl of cereal in hand. “Let me just put this in the dishwasher and I’ll bring it up to my room.” 

Gloucester nodded approvingly as Edgar caught Edmund’s eyes. Edmund winked at him, a grin on his face as he disappeared back into the kitchen.


End file.
